The life savings of scores of Wollongong retirees are caught up in the collapse of financial firm Trio Capital, as investigators chase $118 million in missing funds.
It has emerged financial planners Dominion WFS and Tarrants are among a handful of advisory groups across Australia with clients' money invested in the Albury-based company's superannuation products, much of which remains unaccounted for despite a five-month global search.
Dominion WFS is pursuing legal action on behalf of affected clients, many of them pensioners or nearing retirement. Wollongong investors are believed to be among the most exposed to the missing millions, which affect 10,000 superannuation investors nationwide.
Last month the NSW Supreme Court ordered the release of $3 million in Trio funds so pensioners could receive monthly payments until at least the end of March.
But a spokesman for Trio's administrators, PPB, yesterday could not say when normal pension payments and other returns would resume.
Private investor John Hempton blew the whistle on Trio Capital last October after noting its $118 million Astarra Strategic Fund was posting highly improbable returns.
An investigation was launched, and in December regulatory authorities acted together to freeze Trio's assets.
They cited concerns about the existence and value of Trio's offshore superannuation funds, including Astarra Strategic.
Investigators have so far been unable to track down the assets supposedly invested in five foreign hedge funds, through a company in the British Virgin Islands.
According to Mr Hempton, Dominion and Tarrants were among four advisory groups known to have invested heavily in Trio Capital products.
"Astarra has close ties with those (Wollongong-based) groups and substantial money is at risk," he said.
Neither Dominion or Tarrants would confirm how many customers were affected.
But Dominion WFS director John Scott said his company was pursuing legal action on behalf of its clients, in relation to the fact there was "a number of regulatory bodies and independent assessments attesting to the (Astarra Strategic) funds".
He said Dominion became associated with Trio Capital in 2008, after buying an investment business which had existing Trio customers.
"We have been, and continue to be, very active in seeking a positive outcome for all clients," Mr Scott said.
"Dominion has over 25 years experience in the financial services industry and provides clients with a range of financial services, the majority of which are not invested or associated with Trio."
Tarrants managing director Ross Tarrant said he was working closely with the Association of Independently Owned Financial Planners (AIOFP) to "have the matter resumed as soon as possible".
Since January, AIOFP chief executive Peter Johnston has publicly stated that he believed the missing assets would be located.
Earlier this month, he claimed Trio director Shawn Richard had located a key fund which held 80 per cent of the assets, and was working with an accounting firm to value and retrieve them. Neither regulators nor PPB have confirmed those claims.
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